Thill-coupling



J B. THILL 0 (No Model.)

P0 U K. 0112mm.

No. 511,061.. Patented Ben. 19, 1893.

I 4 i W 2 Urvrrnn STATES PATENT JOHN B. POUK, OF SPRING VALLEY, ILLINOIS.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,061, dated December 19, 1893.

Application filed June 3,1893 Serial No. 476,452. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN B. POUK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring Valley,in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful -Thill- Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in thill couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of thill couplings, to provide an anti-rattler and to dispense with the use of the ordinary nut and bolt for coupling shafts and poles, and thereby enable shafts and poles to be readily coupled and uncoupled without the use of a monkeywrench and in much less time than would be the case were a bolt and nut employed.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of athill coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the coupling pin. Fig. i is a detail perspective view of the spring.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates an axle clip provided with forwardly extending ears 2, forming a shackle and receiving between them the eye 3 of a thill iron 4, which is coupled to the axle clip by a pin 5. The pin 5 extends laterally from the inner side of the coupling and is provided with an annular flange 6 which bears against the adjacent ear of the axle clip to form a stop, and which preferably consists of a collar secured to the pin. The ends of the pin are circumferentially beveled or reduced, and at one end is an integral head 7 forming with the annular flange 6 an annular recess for the reception of the front 8 of one-side 9 of a spring 10.

The spring 10 is constructed of a single piece of resilient sheet metal, which is bifurcated to form sides 9 and 11, and the latter are bent upon themselves to provide front and back portions. The sides 9 and ll are substantially U-shaped in side elevation; the latter is arranged Within the shackle or between the forwardly projecting ,ears 2; and the side 9 is located at the inner side of the couplingon the outer face of the inner ear 2. Each side is provided at its top with a curved bend 12; the bend of the side 11 bears against and conforms to the configuration of the eye of the thill iron to prevent noise and rattling; and the bend of the side 9 engages the pin 5 between the head thereof and the flange 6, to prevent the pin becoming accidentally displaced. The upper end of the front portion 8 of the side9 of the spring 10 is extended to form a thumb piece 13 to enable the front 8 of the side 9 of the spring to be readily held back to permit the insertion of the coupling pin 5;

It will be seen that the thill coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that the ordinary nut and bolt is dispensed with to obviate the necessity of employing a monkey-Wrench in coupling shafts, and poles, and to lessen the time required for such coupling, and that the spring performs the double function of an anti-ratler and pin holder or supporter, and effectually prevents the pin from becoming lost.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this in- Vention.

What I claim is 1. In a coupling for poles and shafts, the combination of an axle clip having forwardly projecting ears, an iron having an eye arranged between the ears,a couplingpin passed through the ears and the eye and projecting from one side thereof and having a head at its extended end and provided adjacent to the head with a stop flange bearing against the adjacent ear, and forming an annular recess between it and the pin head anda spring composed of two approximately .U-shaped sides, one of the sides being arranged between the ears and engaging said eye to prevent rattling and the other side engaging the extended port-ion of the pin in the annular recess between the head and the stop flange to retain the pin in place and adapted to be. sprung back to release the pin, substantially as described.

2. In a coupling for poles and shafts, the

5 combination of an axle clip having forwardly two approximately U-shaped sides provided at the tops of their front portions with curved bends, one of the sides being arranged between the ears to engage said eye and the other side being located outside of the ears and engaging the pin between the head and the stop flan ge, the latter side having its front portion extended vertically above the bend to form a thumb piece, substantially as described.

3. In a coupling for poles and shafts, the combination of an axle clip having forwardly projecting ears, an iron having an eye arranged between the ears-,a couplingpin passed through the ears and the eye and extended from one side thereof, and a spring constrncted of a single piece of resilient metal bifurcated to form opposite sides, the sides being bent on themselves to form approximately U-shaped portions and having at the upper ends of the front portion curved bends, the front portion of one of the sides being extended above the bend to form a thumb piece, one of the sides being located between the ears and engaging said eye, and the other side being located at one side of the coupling and engaging the extended end of the pin, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. POUK.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. MURPHY, J AS. MCGUIRE. 

